Adjustable wagon-tongue.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1908. H. J. LAWRENCE. ADJUSTABLE WAGON TONGUE.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT.6,1907.

z m M c v H 5 fiazziyf Lamm/we attorney HENRY J. LAWRENCE, OF ELMORE, MINNESOTA.

ADJUSTABLE WAGON-TONGUE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1908.

Application filed September 6, 1907. Serial No. 391,634.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmore, in the county of Faribault and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Wagon-Tongues, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to adjustable wagon tongues and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide a tubular steel tongue and means whereby the side bars may be adjusted toward and from the tongue so as to make the tongue attachable to different wagons and vehicles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hollow tubular steel tongue having side bars for attachment to the hounds of a vehicle and means for adjusting the side bars toward and from the tongue, said means comprisin oppositely disposed wedges and right and left hand screw-threaded rods connected by a turn-buckle.

- These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 .is a plan view of an adjustable tongue made in accordance with my invention, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the side bars shown broken away at one point within its length. Fi 3 is a detail perspective view of one of t e wedges. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form of wedge.

Referring to the drawing for a more specific description of my invention, the nu meral 1 designates a tubular steel vehicle tongue or pole provided on its tapered outer end with a suitable pole tip 2. Metal side bars 3 which diverge toward the rear are rovided with angularly bent portions 4 and orwardly projecting feet or lugs 5. The lugs 5 are provided with transverse teeth or corrugations 6 and bolt holes 7 extend through the feet or lugs 5. Oppositely disposed wedges 8 provided with concaved inner sides 9 to bear against the sides of the pole 1 are provided with teeth or corrugations 10 upon their outer surfaces and these wedges may either be provided with a series of perforations or bolt holes 11, as shown in Fig. 3, or with a longitudinal slot 12, as shown in Fig. 4, thus ermitting the adjustment back and forth 0' the wedges by means of bolts 13 which pass through holes in the tongue or pole 1 and through the perforations 11 or the slot 12, said bolts being provided with suitable nuts 14 for holding the wedges 8 in adjusted position with the feet or lugs 5 on the outside thereof and the tongue or pole 1 on the inside of said wedges. The rear end of the tongue or pole 1 is provided with a plug 15 having a reduced ortion fixed within the tubular tongue, saic reduced portion being held firmly in place by means of a bolt 16. The plug 15 is provided with a threaded socket 17. Right and left screw-threaded rods 18 are connected at their outer ends to the side bars 3 while their inner threaded ends are adjustable toward and from each other by means of a turnbuckle 19, said turnbuckle having a bolt hole therethrough in which is seated a bolt 20, said bolt extending through the turnbuckle and being fitted to the threaded socket 17 of the plug 15. A cross bar or brace 21 extends through holes 22 in the side bars 3, said brace being provided with nut 23. A hammer strap 24 is secured to the upper side of the pole or tongue 1.

The operation of my adjustable tongue will be readily understood from the foregoing. When it is desired to adjust the side bars 3 to the hounds of diflerent vehicles this may be accomplished by moving the wedges 8, removing the bolt 20 and adjusting the turnbuckle 19, after which the bolt 20 is replaced for holding the parts in adjusted position. The nut 23 is also adjustable upon the brace 21, as will be understood.

. From the foregoing it will be obvious that a vehicle tongue made in accordance with my invention can be quickly adjusted, is strong and durable and isveryeflicient for its purpose.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. An adjustable vehicle tongue co1nprising a hollow metal tongue, diverging side bars provided with corrugated feet, wedges disposed between said feet and the tongue, said wedges having concaved inner sides and corrugated outer sides, and means for adjusting said side bars at their rear ends toward and from the tongue.

2. A vehicle tongue provided with adjust able side bars, right and left screw-threaded rods connected to the rear ends of said side bars, a turnbuckle for adjusting the right and left hand screw-threaded rods, and a bolt passing through said turnbuckle and connected a threaded socket, and a bolt extending to a plug attached to the tongue for holding through said turnbuckle and fitted in said said turnbuckle against rotation. socket, substantially as described.

3. In a Vehicle tongue, metal side bars, I In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 means for adjusting the front ends of said in presence of two witnesses.

side bars toward and from the tongue, right HENRY J LAWVRENCE and left screw-threaded rods connected to the rear ends of said side bars, a turnbuckle Witnesses:

for adjusting said rods, a plug fitted to the LoUIs PETTUs, 10 rear end of the tongue and provided with JOHN SHRADER. 

